Asegedch Wendemu

Asegedch has been supported by DEWADA for eighteen years; she said her life before DEWADA stepped in to help was incredibly tough. She had previously worked as a domestic servant, but had to leave due to illness. This meant she was left with little to no money to support her family. Asegedch’s husband and six of her seve children had all died, and she and her only surviving son were too unwell to work. Asegeddch survived on eating just one meal of bread and water. Her health deteriorated rapidly and she developed hypertension due to malnutrition.

Although life is not easy for Asegedch, things are definitely improving. When we met Asegedch earlier in March, she had just returned from having cataract surgery. She had a bandage over her right eye, but was walking well when we helped her out of the car and to her house.

Before the cataract surgery, Asegedch spent over 5 years without any sight in her right eye. But now, her vision is expected to return to normal completely – something which has truly transformed her life.

The medical costs for Asegedch were £125. This includes initial assessment, cataract removal and aftercare costs. There are still many elders in DEWADA’s care who need medical attention – some can be treated simply with eye drops, others with more complex surgery. Making these elders comfortable is so important to us.